At a Vigil attended by supporters from far and wide it was decided that, now we are all united, Comrade Mugabe would be invited to join us outside the Embassy to mark his 85th birthday on 21st February. We know that his fans at home are trying to extort US$ 200,000 for his birthday celebrations at Masvingo but we are sure he will be able to use the miraculous powers which have enabled him to bamboozle the world to join us (in the shape of Fungayi Mabhunu wearing our Magabe mask). He will be given presents of cholera and torture, and Grace will be shown valiantly beating up a Western photographer and battling with a Zimbabwean judge over a stolen farm. Thanks to Mike Mudyiwa for the suggestion.

In the new spirit of unity, the Vigil will ask Mugabe to make over his personal fortune of US $3 billion (Top 20 African Rich List – http://www1.zimbabwesituation.com/feb4a_2009.html#Z32) to the Zimbabwean people. By curious coincidence this matches the talked about Western bail-out package. It would be wonderful if a generous donor like Mugabe would show that the West is not needed to rescue our dying families.

Now the far and wide bit: it was great to welcome the Oatens from south west France and Tendai Madume who came all the way from Plymouth in snowbound Devon – pretty heroic given the circumstances.

After a week of bleak winter weather we escaped lightly today – very cold but dry.We bought a cake to celebrate Sue Toft’s birthday. She was lifted shoulder-high by her friends at the Vigil in appreciation of her work for Zimbabwe even though she has no direct connection with the country.Sue was fortunate in having two cakes for her birthday – Emily Garupira and Eunita Masolo, who work in a cake shop, made her a superb concoction which was shared out post Vigil in the pub.The Vigil thinks that you are the best thing about England Sue.